Line-sighting level.



No. 778,508. PATENTED DEG. 2'?, 1904. T. SNDBROOK.

LINE SIGHTlNG LEVEL.

APPLIGATIOE TILED MAY 14. 1903.

wflmms: INSENTUP] UNITED STATES ATnNT Patented December 27, 1904.

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LINE-SiGHTENG LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Iatent No. 778,508, datedDecember 27, 1904.

Application filed May 14,1903. Serial No. 157,040.

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Be it known that I, THOMAS SANDBRooK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State ofMissouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Line-SightingLevels, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accom panying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in leveling instruments.

The object of my invention is to provide a line-sighting' level by meansof which the height of a distant body relative to one on which the levelis placed may be accurately and quickly ascertained. By the use of myinstrument the stakes representing the corners of the foundation-wall ofa building may be quickly and accurately positioned.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure l isa longitudinal central vertical sectional view. Fig. 2 is a horizontallongitudinal central sectional view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theinstrument. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly invertical section, of the instrument placed upon one corner of a wall,the said view showing also in side elevation a distant stake driven inthe ground, the top of the stake being in line with the sighting devicesof the level. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the dottedline c b of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the sightingdevices detached from the level.

` Fig. 7 represents a blank from which one of the sighting devices isformed. Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of one of the sighting devices.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts.

ln its preferable form the body of the leveling instrument comprises twolongitudinal members l and 2, respectively disposed side by side andsecured together by means of three transverse grooves 3, extendingthrough one and into the other member. Each of said members is providedon the side adjacent to the opposite member with a longitudinal groovetapering inwardly toward one end of the member toward the oppositemember thereof. The said two longitudinal grooves are oppositel ydisposed with reference to each other and form a longitudinal taperingopening4 in the body of the instrument. The member l is provided with atransverse opening 5, extending from the upper side of the saidmember'vertically toward and intersecting thek inner end of thelongitudinal groove in the said member. An inclined mirror 6 is insertedin slots provided therefor at an angle of forty-five degrees in theadjacent sides of the two members, the said inclined mirror beingdisposed in a position such that it will intersect the longitudinalopening 4 of the transverse opening' 5. Thus a ray of light entering theopening 4 will be reflected by the mirror at right angles. Therefore byplacing the eye above the opening 5 an object can be seen by reflectionfrom the mirror 6 through the opening 4. Two sighting devices 7,comprising, preferably, two horizontal plates, are disposed in fourtransverse recesses proi vided in the upper side of the member 2 andlocated two near the outer and two near the inner end of thelongitudinal opening 4. Each of the sighting' devices 7 is provided nearthe middle thereof with a vertical pointed projection 8, extendingupwardly from the upper side of the plate 7. The projections 8 are ofthe same height and are disposed both in the plane which verticallybisects the opening' 4. The upper sides of the plates 7 are disposed inthe plane which horizontally bisects the opening 4. Each of the plates 7is provided with two downwardly-extending projections 9, tit- S 5 ted,respectively, against the side walls of the longitudinal groove of themember. The two projections 9 serve to properly locate and retain theprojections 8 in the vertical plane bisecting the opening 4.

The object of having the opening 4 tapering inwardly is to provide thatthe rays of light may enter and be refiected by the mirror 6 in orderthat a distant object may be properly alined with the plates 7 and theprojections 8 95 thereof. The outer end of the opening 4 may be closedby a vertical transparent glass plate 10, which is held in place by avertical plate 1l, secured to the ends of the members l and 2 andprovided with a hole l2, preferably of IOC the same size and shape asthe outer end of the opening L1. A horizontal glass plate 13 may beemployed to close the outer end or' the opening' 5. r1`o the body may besecured, pret'- erably to the member 1, an ordinary leveling device,such as a spirit-level, (indicated by 14C.) The disposition of the saidspirit-level is such that when a bubble therein is centrally disposed inthe said level the plates 7 will be disposed in a horizontal plane.

The instrument may be provided also with an ordinary transversespirit-level 15, commonly used as a plumb-level in said instrument. Uponthe lower side of -the member 2 are provided two horizontal plates 16 ofequal thickness and disposed below the bottom line ot' the said member.r1`hus any slight inequalities upon the surface of a piece or' timber orother body upon which the level may be placed will not prevent theinstrument being' disposed in a perfectly horizontal position.

In operating my invention, the parts having been assembled as described,the body of the instrument is set in a level position upon an object'from the upper side of which it is proposed to locate a horizontalline. Upon this object-for instance, the stone pillar 17, (shown in Fig.-D--is placed the instrument, with the longitudinal opening' 4L disposedin a position directed toward the place where it is desired to drive thestake required for g'uidance in building' another pillar or portion of awall. Having properly positioned the level, a vertical stake 18 isdriven in the ground in line with the vertical plane in which arelocated the projections 8 of the sighting device 7. By placing' theeye-at C above the opening 5 of thc level the stake 18 will be seenreflected by the mirror 6. The stake 18 is then driven into the grounduntil the top of the stake is in alinement with the plates 7. Bymeasuring' downwardly from the top o'll the stake 18 the distancecorresponding with the distance between the top of the pillar 17 and theupper sides o1 the plates 7 can be obtained the proper position for thetop of the wall or pillar that is built adjacent to the stake 18. Thisposition may be indicated at the stake 18 by any suitable mark whichwill correspond to the dotted line Z c in Fig. 4. It will' be seen thatby means of the horizontal plates 7 and the central vertical plates 8the distant object, such as the stake 18, may be accurately located inboth a horizontal and a vertical plane.

By makingl the body of the instrument in two parts 1 and 2 and securingthe same by means of the screws 3 the sighting devices 7 and the mirror6 may be readily inserted or removed, as desired.

My invention may be modilied in many ways without departing' from itsspirit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. 1n a leveling' instrument, the combinan tion with the. body providedwith a longitudinal opening and a transverse opening' intersecting thelongitudinal opening, of an inclined mirror intersecting at an ang'lebothof said openings, two transverse plates disposed horizontally in thelongitudinal opening and provided each with a vertical projectiondisposed centrally between the side walls of the longitudinal opening,the said two l'n'ojections extending both in the same direction and atright angles to the said plates, and a level connected with the body.

2. A leveling'instrument comprising'abody consisting of two longitudinalmembers,means for securing' the said two members together', each memberbeing provided on the side adjacent to the other member with alongitudinal groove registering with the longitudinal groove in theother member, the said two grooves forming a longitudinal opening, oneof the members being provided with a transverse opening intersecting atits inner end the inner end of the long'itudinal groove o1 the saidmember, an inclined mirror intersecting the longitudinal and thetransverse openings, two horizontal transverse plates in the saidlongitudinal opening, one disposed near the inner and the other' nearthe outer end of the said opening, the two said plates being provided onsimilar sides, each with a vertical projection disposed centrallybetween the side walls of the longitudinal opening', and a level securedto one of the side members.

3. A leveling instrument comin'ising a body, provided with alongitudinal opening extending outwardly from one end, a transverseopening extending' from one side and intersecting the inner end of thelongitudinal opening, an inclined mirror intersecting both of the saidopenings, two horizontal transverse platesccntrally mounted in thelongitudinal opening', and disposed one near the inner and one near theouter end thereof, the said plates being' provided on similar sides eachwith a vertical projection disposed midway between two side walls ot'the longitudinal opening', each ot said platesbeing provided with meansfor preventing movement lengthwise ot' the side plates in.

the said longitudinal opening, and a level connected with the body.

1. A leveling instrument comprising a body consisting' of twolongitudinal members secured tog'ether, a longitudinal opening,extending from one end of the body inwardly thereof, the division-linebetween the two members bisecting the said longitudinal opening', atransverse opening' from one side of the body inwardly and intersectingthe inner end of the longitudinal opening, an inclined mirrorintersecting' both of said openings, one of the members being' providedon the side ad.- jacent of the other member with four transverserecesses, disposed two upon each side of the longitudinal opening,twotransverse plates being' provided on similar sides, each with a IOO IOS

IIO

IIS

sighting' device disposed midway between the side walls of thelongitudinal opening', and a level connected with the body.

A leveling' instrument comprising a body provided with a longitudinalopening' extending' from one end thereof, a transverse opening'extending from one side toward and intersecting' the inner end of thelongitudinal opening', an inclined mirror intersecting both of saidopenings, two sighting devices extending across the longitudinalopening', and disposed in the horizontal plane bisecting thelong'itudinal opening, one ot' the said sighting devices being' locatednear the inner and one near the outer end of the said longitudinalopening', both of the said sighting devices being' provided on similarsides each with a projection disposed in the vertical plane bisectingthe longitudinal opening', and a level connected with the body.

6. A leveling' instrument comprising two longitudinal members securedtogether, the adjacent sides of said members being' provided cach with along'itudinal groove extending from one end otA the member, said groovesforming' a longitudinal opening', one member having' a transverseopening' intersecting' said longitudinal opening, an inclined mirrorintersecting' both of said openings, two horizontal plates clampedbetween the said two members, disposed one near the inner and one nearthe outer end of the longitudinal opening', each of said plates being'provided with a vertical projection disposed centrally in thelong'itudinal opening, and each plate having vertical projectionslitting' against opposite walls of the longitudinal opening' forpreventing lateral movement of the plate, and a level carried by one ofsaid members.

7. Alevelinginstrumentcomprising'abody, provided with a longitudinalopening extending from one end thereof, and having' a transverseopening' extending' from one side toward and intersecting' the inner endof the longitudinal opening, an inclined mirror intersecting each ot'said openings, two transverse sighting devices extending' across thelongitudinal opening and located one near the inner and one near theouter end thereof, the said two sig'hting' devices being' provided onsimilar sides with projections of equal length, one projection on eachsighting device, the said projections being disposed in the planevertically bisecting the longitudinal opening, and the said sightingdevices being disposed in the plane horizontally bisecting thelongitudinal opening'.

8. A leveling instrument comprising a body provided with a longitudinalopening' extending' from one end of the body and tapering inwardlytoward the other end of the body, the body being' provided also with atransverse opening' extending from one side and intersecting the innerend ot' the longitudinal opening', an inclined mirror intersecting eachof said openings, two sighting devices disposed in the planehorizontally bisecting the said longitudinal opening and located onenear the inner and one near the outer end of said opening', the saidsighting' devices being provided each with a vertical projection, thesaid vertical projections being disposed on like sides ot' the saidsighting' devices and located in the plane vertically bisecting' thesaid longitudinal opening, and a level connected with the said body.

9. A leveling' instrument comprising a body consisting' of twolongitudinal members secured together side to side, the side of eachmember adjacent to the opposite member provided with a longitudinalgroove extending from one end of the member toward the other end, thesaid grooves forming in the body a longitudinal opening taperinginwardly, one of the members being provided with a transverse openingextending from one side toward and intersecting' the said groove of thesaid member near the inner end of the said groove, an inclined mirrorintersecting each of said openings, two transverse sighting devicessecured between the two said members and disposed one near the inner andone near the outer end of the said longitudinal opening,and a levelconnected with one of the members.

In testimony whereotl I have signed my name to this specitication inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS SANDBROOK.

Witnesses:

WARREN D. HoUsE, HENRY F. RosE.

